The very least he owes me is a body. A thumb, a wrist bone, the big barrel of his chest. But there my father sits: gray soot in a gold cube. Astro turf covers the hole in the earth that’s not big enough to fit his calloused foot. People stand, talk about my father as if he’s still whole: an efficient, frugal man with thick white hair and green eyes. A lover of conglomerate rocks and geometry. Incinerated now, he’s ready to be lowered. The earth sinks under my chair legs, tipping me forward and I feel myself falling, falling

Laurie Ann Doyle is the author of World Gone Missing, from Regal House Publishing in October 2017. She teaches writing at UC Berkeley.

Absolutely love and admire “Immediate Family Only”. This is my first visit to and awareness of the magazine. I am definitely going to subscribe. My friend, Pamela Painter, has been writing Flash Fiction. Although I’ve published short stories (not THAT short), poetry and essays, I hadn’t known about Flash Fiction until she told me, and had her work published as well. I plan to try writing a piece myself.

Thanks so much Enid! This micro essay just came to me late one night. The 100 word limit was oddly liberating, giving me a container to hold the inspiration. Good luck with writing flash fiction and nonfiction! Best, Laurie